How To Vote For A President

Voting for a president can be just like selecting the perfect wine for a very important occasion. Be it a proposal, an engagement, a marriage; the signing of a contract, the closing of a business deal, the signing of a treaty; a birth, a graduation, a passing; a reunion, a holiday, a celebration; when the stakes are this high, you don’t want to make a mistake.

So, with that in mind, some suggestions:

Prepare Yourself

Go into it knowing something more than you knew before. Most importantly, listen to the experts; certainly more so than the current cultural zeitgeist would seem to suggest you ought to. You can still disagree with them, even oppose them, but they’re worth listening to, and learning from. There is a reason they are long-time, full-time professionals. They’ve worked hard, trained hard, and they know their stuff. Do I always follow recommendations from the Advocate, Spectator, Decanter? Of course not. Do I read them? Of course. Prepare yourself. Know something. Don’t be afraid of knowledge. They’re not snobs. They’re knowledgeable, and passionate, and they can help you. This is a very important decision. You want to know what you’re doing, and why.

Consider The Ramifications Of Your Decision In Advance

It ain’t just about you. In making your selection, you are creating ripples in a pond, ripples that will expand beyond your sightlines, touching and moving lives and things you can’t imagine or foresee. And you’re making a statement, taking a stand. In today’s day and age, what you do is tracked, so your decision is not just a vote for a single entity, it’s a philosophical stance about an aesthetic, an ethos, a world-view. And you are tasked with pleasing not just yourself, but a world around you. Compromise is noble; think beyond yourself. This is for the ages.

Reward Nuance And Complexity

Retweetable sound-bites may get the most attention in the short term, but nuance and complexity are what lasts. Don’t be afraid to think. Don’t be afraid of not understanding. Be willing to take some time with your decision. You are fortunate in that you get to sample your choices before your decision is final. Don’t reward the obvious. Take advantage of the time afforded you, and be willing to look further, dig deeper, try harder. Were this music, the advice would be; don’t fall for the obvious single, go to the deep tracks. Those are the songs that will carry you a lifetime. You want to be still talking about this for decades to come.

Consider Partnership & Pairing

Big, loud, brash, aggressive. It gets your attention, and can be rewarding in the short term. You feel it. You’re excited. But this is an isolationist’s game in the long run. Big, loud, brash, and aggressive partners well with … nothing. Reward subtlety.

Go Beyond The Single Issue

You may feel passionate about something in particular, to the point where you’ll even draw lines. You may make ultimatums around a single issue. Don’t. Consider the macro beyond the micro. It’s not about skin color. It’s not about region. It’s not about approachability or longevity. It’s about everything.